Discharger for pyrotechnic cartridges



Oct. 20, 1942. 1 LOCHHEAD ErAL 2,299,100

DISCHARGER Fon PYROTECHNIC CARTRIDGES Filed NV 1. 1940 Fi illllllllll INVENToR fm1-L11. I.- LD Chhan EL BY M Y M1155 C IETL /IMW ATTO Patented Oct. 20, 1942 DISCHARGER FOR PYROTECHNIC CARTRIDGES John L. Lochhead and Miles C. Benner, Springfield, Mass.

Application November 1, 1940, Serial N0. 363,884

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 5 Claims.,

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a discharger for pyrotechnic cartridges and the like.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive discharger in which a firing mechanism is cocked and released by relative rotation of a barrel and sleeve.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the discharger with the iiring pin in normal red position;

Fig. 2 is a detail view in side elevation of the breech plug;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference there is shown a barrel 5 having its breech portion internally threaded for receiving a breech plug 6 fixed in place by a set screw 1.

A sleeve 8 rotatably and slidably mounted on the rear end of the barrel and extending rearwardly thereof is formed with an internal flange 9 which is disposed forwardly of an external flange I on the rear end of the barrel. A block II threaded in and closing the sleeve in rear of the barrel and fixed in place by a set screw I2 has its front face spaced a slight distance from the rear end of the barrel.

The block II is formed centrally with a recess I3 for slidably receiving the hollow stem I4 of a firing pin I5. A helical spring I6 disposed in the stem I4 and seated on the block II normally urges the firing pin forwardly into engagement with the breech plug. The front end of the ilring pin enters a tapered aperture I1 in the breech plug and comes to rest with its point projecting into the cartridge chamber of the barrel.

The rear part of the barrel is provided with means for cocking and releasing the firing pin and comprises four annularly arranged cams I8 which may be conveniently cut in the cylindrical wall I9 of the breech plug and adapted to act on a pin 20 fixed transversely in the ring pin. The cams have a gradual rise and an abrupt fall.

The parts are normally in the position shown in Fig. l. Operation of the firing mechanism is accomplished by relatively rotating the barrel and sleeve 8. Opposite cams I8 act on the pin 2U and retract the firing pin against the influence of the spring I 5. As soon as the pin 20 clears the cams the spring drives the firing pin forwardly to fire a cartridge in the barrel. The pressure of the spring on the ring pin is sufficient to prevent rotation of the iiring pin during relative rotational movement of the cams.

When the cartridge is fired the barrel is permitted to recoil a short distance against the action of the spring I6.

We claim:

1. In a discharger, a sleeve having an internal flange, a block closing the rear end of the sleeve, a barrel rotatably and slidably mounted in the sleeve and having an external flange disposed between the internal flange of the sleeve and the block, a breech plug fixed in the rear end of the barrel, oppositely disposed cams arranged annularly on the breech plug, a firing pin slidably mounted in the block, a spring urging the firing pin forwardly, and a pin carried by the firing pin and engageable by the cams.

2. In a discharger, a sleeve, a block closing the rear end of the sleeve, a barrel rotatably mounted in the sleeve and slidable axially therein, means limiting the axial movement of the barrel in the sleeve, a breech plug fixed in the rear end of the barrel, cams on the rear end of the breech plug, a ring pin slidably mounted in the block and in engagement with the cams on the breech plug, and a spring urging the firing pin forwardly whereby the block and the rear end of the barrel are normally separated, said spring and cams operable on relative rotation of the sleeve and barrel to cock and release the ring pm.

3. In a discharger, a sleeve member, a barrel member telescopically arranged therewith, said members having relative rotation and limited axial relative reciprocation, a spring pressed firing pin carried by one member and arranged to extend the members axially, and a cam on one of the members operable on relative rotation of the sleeve and barrel members to cock and release the ring pin.

4. In a discharger, a sleeve, a barrel having a closed breech, said barrel being rotatably mounted in the sleeve and having axial reciprocation therein, means limiting the axial reciprocation of the barrel in the sleeve, a firing pin slidably mounted in the sleeve, a spring urging the firing pin forwardly and normally extending axially the barrel and the sleeve, a pin carried by the ring pin, and cams on the rear end of the barrel and engageable with the pin on the firing pin. Y Y Y 5. In a discharger, a sleeve having an internal flange, a base at the rear end of the sleeve, a barrel rotatably mounted in the sleeve and reciprooable axially therein, said barrel having an external flange disposed between the internal flange of the sleeve and the base, a breech plug fixed in the rear end of the barrel, oppositely disposed cams arranged annularlyA onthe breech. 10

plug, said sleeve base having a guideway, a firing pin slidably mounted therein, a pin carried by the firing pin and engageable' by the cams, a compression spring seated in the guideway and urging the firing pin forwardly, said spring also arranged to extend the sleeve and barrel axially whereby the external flange of the sleeve no1'- mally abuts the internal flange of the barrel.

JOHN L. LOCHHEAD, MILES C. BENNER.. 

